1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a sports boot comprising an external sole overlaid by an upper obtained from a flexible material, open frontwardly, to enable passage of the foot and comprising, to this end, two quarters adapted to be connected to each other by an opening and closing system of the lacing type. This system includes a link forming a closed circuit integrating a tightening and latching mechanism and connecting to, along a predetermined path, a series of return elements located in a fixed manner on either side of the quarters so that when a traction force is exerted on the link, via the tightening and latching mechanism, the link exerts a closing action on said quarters to bring them closer to one another and consequently ensures retention of the foot.
2. Discussion of Background and Relevant Information
The German Utility Model G 90 16325.7 describes a boot of this type, whose opening and closing system of the upper is constituted by a flexible link in a closed circuit connected to a winder around which the link is wound when a rotational action is exerted on said winder, resulting in shortening the length of the circuit and consequently causing the quarters of the upper to come closer together for closure and tightening thereof. To undertake opening of the quarters, disengagement means of the winder enable the winder to release the tension on the link and obtain its unwinding which is caused by a frontward thrust of the foot in order to open the boot.
Not only does this require an additional effort from the user at the time of removal of the boot, the user being obliged to provide a force to overcome the inertia of the winder and unwind the link sufficiently in order to be able to remove the foot from the boot, which adds to the friction of the link in the return elements, but in addition, once the winder is disengaged, there is no memorization means enabling the tightening to be relocated, said tightening having been adjusted precisely by the user, and consequently, the user will have to undertake this action anew the next time the boot is put on.
Presumably, the lacing device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,889 enables this disadvantage to be resolved because, as per the illustration of FIG. 11 of this document, the end of the closed circuit, formed by the link, is connected in a non-detachable manner to a tightening element which is itself journalled on the upper. Although such a device indeed appears to enable memorization of the tightening, the tightening tension being obtained by adjustment of the length of the link by a knot, the opening of the upper must necessarily be undertaken by detaching the link from the return elements, at least along a portion of the tightening length, so that it can take slack. Such an intervention on the boot can be difficult, or at least time-consuming for the user. In addition, the tightening tension of the link is invariable, except if one intervenes at the level of the knot.
The same document presents a variation, illustrated in FIG. 10, which could enable this disadvantage to be avoided because the tightening element, incidentally, a journalled notched lever, can be removed from the link. However, there would be no further possibility of memorizing the tightening tension which must be relocated each time the boot is put on.